September 24, 2009

Fourteen years have passed, yet somehow Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II picks up right where the original left off. The Wu-Gambinos are back, complete with the aliases of their aliases. The stars, of course, are Chef Raekwon (as Lex Diamonds) and his sidekick, Ghostface Killah (a.k.a. Tony Starks). But Method Man, Inspectah Deck, RZA, GZA, Masta Killa, Cappadonna and Blue Raspberry reprise their roles in the sequel as well, along with some new faces. The movie samples return, but there's no purple tape this time. Instead, the CD cover has been recreated with the hue's haze. It's rare that skits are welcome, but their presence adds to the cinematic feel in this instance, just as it did before.

The biggest difference is in the production. While RZA handled every track on the first, Erick Sermon, Pete Rock, Dr. Dre, Marley Marl and even the late J-Dilla contribute here. All amazingly find a way to fit into the Linx blueprint and still complete a cohesive album. But it's no tribute. And it's not a cash grab, either. Everyone involved in the project seemed in tune with what a sequel to Only Built 4 Cuban Linx represents and adjusted their games accordingly.

And the guest highlights aren't limited to production. Ghostface makes the most of his second billing, appearing on so many tracks they didn't even bother to list him on all of them. Method Man pairs with Ghost and Rae on the aforementioned "New Wu," which despite the name is as vintage as it gets.

The only MC with a non-expired license to sing -- Slick Rick -- does just that on "We Will Rob You." But no one steals the show from Raekwon, who seems especially inspired by the return to where his solo career started. For the finale, Scram Jones serves as the closer, delivering an unlikely, but inspired, Elton John sample for "Kiss the Ring." Needless to say, Raekwon gets the win. Click here to find out how to buy this album.

September 22, 2009

For the the amount of time Jay-Z spends on this album telling us how ahead of the game he is, it's kind of surprising that he pulled a title from the past. We know Jay is market savvy enough to use the Blueprint name to launch his first album on a new label, Roc Nation -- just as his old label, Def Jam, was smart enough to take a shot at capitalizing on it by packaging the other two in a box set that leaves "a place to complete your collection." Both share a hint of desperation, but thankfully Jay hasn't reached the level that he needs to drop a Reasonable Doubt 2... yet.

Although allegedly the completion of the Blueprint trilogy, it's more of the conclusion to a comeback trifecta of mediocrity, at least by his high standards and the expectations that we -- among others -- have set upon him. That doesn't mean we aren't listening -- check the rating -- but some of the same traps reappear, including the repeated line gimmick that was bad the first time we heard it. (And when did "aw" become Jay-Z's version of Master P's "unh"? I'll have to break out Reasonable Doubt again and see if it's there, but just not nearly as distracting.)

At least one thing was certain: this album had to be better than The Blueprint 2, and nowhere near as good as The Blueprint. At first glance it looks a lot like the first sequel, with all of the guest appearances. That alone is an insult to the solo masterpiece that serves as its namesake.

The first single, "D.O.A.," showed promise with its back-to-basics approach and attempt to rid the world of auto-tune. (Later on in the album he throws throwbacks, Cristal, Timberlands -- not Timbaland, he produces a few surprisingly underwhelming tracks -- rims, gold and "Making It Rain" under the bus as well.) Sadly, the weight of his point is somewhat lost when he employs a practice that should have died several years before auto-tune in a funeral track of its own -- rappers singing. But "D.O.R.S." isn't as catchy an acronym. If I want to hear a bad rendition of "Na Na Hey Hey" I can go to a White Sox game and wait for the opposing pitcher to get pulled. (Actually, the fans' rendition isn't half bad, comparatively speaking.)

Thankfully, Jay didn't go all Ja Rule on us and keep all of the singing to himself. Rihanna steps in on the catchy and pop-radio-ready second single, "Run This Town," which also boasts a nice appearance by Kanye West -- behind the boards and on the mic (despite the bizarre "beasting off the Riesling" concept topped only by his Katy Perry tribute later on).

"Town," savior of the second half "Already Home" and "Real As It Gets" top this album for me. Future be damned, the Young Jeezy-blessed track recalls a couple of my favorite cuts from a simpler time 14 years ago when Eightball & MJG and AZ were sitting "On Top of the World."

It gets complicated from there. As could be expected from a track featuring Alicia Keys, "Empire State of Mind" gets too big for Jay -- and he sounds a little out of breath throughout. Not that it won't become a New York anthem.

After being underwhelmed after the first spin, it became clear that additional listens would be necessary to appreciate this album. It also provided some perspective in the form of two unrelated events that occurred on Blueprint 3's original release date, Sept. 11: 1) MSNBC spent the morning replaying the events of that date eight years ago; and 2) Michael Jordan's entrance into the Hall of Fame later that night.

The first proved our gut feeling was right that using the term "9/11 them" on the West-produced "Thank You" was too soon, especially when describing the events in detail as a comparison to the end of his rivals' careers. It's in poor taste for the self-proclaimed "new Sinatra." Worse yet, he sports a decidedly non-futuristic Skee-Lo flow.

The second once again provided a perfect metaphor, one that we and Hov have used in recent years. Both past-their-prime stars are stuck settling scores from the past while overstating his impact on the future and having an over-inflated opinion of his place in the present. For Jordan, it was claiming you might see him make a comeback at 50. For Jay, it's the suggestion that this album is really the road map to hip-hop in 2010 and beyond. If anything, Kanye West was the only one to do some truly futuristic sh--, but we already discussed how Jay feels about that. And he claims he doesn't want to hear it, either, at one point saying, "People want my old sh-- / buy my old albums."

But the conflicted truth is revealed throughout. On the album's opener, "What we Talkin' About," the hook is "Who cares what they say?" yet on "So Ambitious" (featuring Pharrell) it's "the motivation for me is them telling me what I could not do" and goes even further on "Hate" (featuring Kanye) as he laments that "I made myself so easy to love." Sounds like caring.

The majority of the album is listenable or better, but there's room for improvement. Surprisingly, it's lyrically. Too focused on the past and the future, he's never in the moment. "This is a 'Reminder.'" "On that next sh--." "Welcome to the future." The two themes never stop. It's always what he did or what he's going to do.

The low point is the final track, which would seem fitting except it is often there where you'll find Jay-Z at his deepest. He tries again here, but "Young Forever" comes off hollow and a bit forced. The Beyonce collabos are thankfully absent, but the weak "Venus vs. Mars" duet with Cassie fills the void.

Then there's "A Star is Born," which at first listen seems like a tribute to all of Jay-Z's MC peers from the past decade or so, but like Jordan's trash-talking induction speech it turns into a bitter list of backhanded compliments. Jay dismisses -- sometimes accurately -- Mase, DMX, Puffy, 50 Cent, Nas, Eminem, Nelly, Ludacris, Ja Rule, T.I., Outkast, Mobb Deep as simply passing through hip-hop as his career keeps moving, closing with this comment on the Wu-Tang Clan: "They had a hell of a run. Standing ovate." But their rhyme ain't done any more than Jay's is, as evidenced by the fact that Raekwon's own sequel to a classic made sure BP 3 wasn't a unanimous pick for the best album released on Sept. 8, let alone in 2009. But clap for Jigga. He deserves a standing ovation, too, for his hell of a run from 1996-2003.

It's time for Jay-Z to take his own advice from this very album and get "Off That" Blueprint. Move "On To The Next One" and leave the guest stars in the green room. Unless he really doesn't have anything more -- or better -- to say. Click here to find out how to buy this album.

September 20, 2009

I was far from a comic-book junkie while growing up, but one series that instantly comes to mind as a favorite was "Marvel Team-Up," when one legendary character (usually Spider-Man) would pair with another hero to take on a villain for a standalone issue. The unlikely pairings created a little added buzz when compared to the regularly scheduled program, and therefore were more likely to attract a casual fan like me.

KRS-One and Buckshot were wise to follow the same formula, perhaps injecting a boost of attention that otherwise would not have been afforded to a solo release by each MC. The title track is the leadoff hitter, and wastes no time establishing just how good the combination of these two lyrical legends can be. KRS' opening line sends a warning shot across the bow of the current hitmakers: "Small-time rappers ain't as dope as us / When you hear rappers in the club, you hope it's us." Just as refreshing is the turntable work on the hook courtesy of DJ Revolution.

KRS and Buck keep one foot on the neck of the copycats with their own personal attack on auto-tune, transforming into a "Robot" to take down those who "can't sing or rap these days" without covering their weak skills with a vocoder, all while still paying tribute to Roger Troutman, Afrika Bambaataa and others.

A parade of standout guests add to the party at that point, from the predictable (Mary J. Blige) and the welcome (Talib Kweli, backed by more scratching) to the longtime collaborators (Heltah Skeltah and Smif N Wessun).

However, when Pharoahe Monch walks out the door after "One Shot," it feels like a lot of the energy goes with him as the album fades a bit toward the end. Or maybe it just seems that way. No matter, the album is worth a look if only for the all-star collabo. In the end, the superheroes usually win.
Click here to find out how to buy this album.

July 09, 2009

L.L. Cool J stopped by MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Thursday to -- what else? -- promote a project with MasterCard, but he ended up doing more than that. In addition to getting in a couple extra plugs, he managed to redefine his place in the hip-hop hierarchy and take time out to celebrate Michael Jackson's impact on him.

L.L. added that he thought "Thriller" was the peak of the old school music industry. Showing what a savvy, seasoned pro at working the media he has become, L.L. somehow managed to work in references to a digital distribution network and his new starring role in "NCIS: L.A." on CBS.

But the bombshell L.L. dropped might have been this: "I'm no longer trying to compete musically. I'm not delusional."

While it might sound disappointing at first coming from a fierce competitor who took on all challengers in his hip-hop career, true fans have to hope that this means in the future he'll do the music he wants to do and not the music he (or his record company) thinks is the most commercially viable, as has been the case on recent albums Todd Smith and Exit 13. We're ready for another classic, Uncle L, even if we're still waiting for the answer to that Kool Moe Dee question.

June 14, 2009

Consider this a poor man's Oh My God. The pairing of DJ Quik, who doesn't get enough credit for his production skills, and Kurupt, who's paid tribute to Rakim on many occasions, should ellict that kind of a reaction, even though they've never reached the same heights in their respective fields -- and it isn't nearly as unexpected. But at least this one exists.

Among Kurupt's first lines is "How can you go wrong?" Twice, in fact. And it's a fair question, though they do manage to veer off course at times. One would be the unfortunately named "Cream N Ya Panties," which seemingly duplicates the opening title track's background screeches without duplicating the success of the original Quik sex-driven track, "Black P----." It at least should have been pushed back futher on the album to make it less obvious.

But those low moments are few and far between and the majority of the album is a solid listen, even if it's not stellar. The standout is "9x's Outta 10" with its simple, repetitive vibe, but "Ohh!" and the Moroccan-themed "Hey Playa!" also make an impact with their exclamations. "Do You Know?" also offers a "Back To Life" sample not to be questioned.

"F--- Y'all" takes the same concept as the Black Sheep interlude from 1991 and extends it into a full song. The highlight in the guest department is none other than Yo-Yo, who might have been a late addition as "Whatcha Wan Do" appears again without her as a bonus track.

The album gets lost again toward the end with "Exodus," a mess of an interlude, and "Jupiter's Critic & the Mind of Mars," which is one part '80s music, one part space odyssey and five parts trip, that only can be explained with a simple Quik lyric at the center: "I smoke a lot of weed." Thankfully, "The Appeal" grounds the starship before the album lands.

As Kurupt says early on, "This is one of those things when you put it together you make gumbo." There are a lot of flavors to digest here, but if they keep cooking together they'll get the perfect recipe before long.
Click here to find out how to buy this album.

May 27, 2009

When Method Man and Redman first teamed up, there seemed to be no limit to "How High" they could go. But the answer to their original question increasingly seemed to be "right there," as they never seemed to surpass that peak, and everything -- including the 2001 movie of the same name -- seemed to develop in the shadow of their debut's success.

Even their first full-length collaboration in 1999 didn't quite live up to the ridiculously high bar set by that initial single -- which even they seemed to acknowledge by using it as a bonus track on Blackout four years later. (However, some would say they came closest for a choice 2 minutes and 16 seconds on that album, the running time for "Da Rockwilder.")

At first listen the sequel's impression is underwhelming. But before long it becomes clear that while it may be understated, it is undeniably solid.

Early on, Redman opines that "hip-hop is lame, the whole game is lacking." And from that point on the self-proclaimed "new Tango and Cash" do their best to raise it up -- and at no point have to navigate a Jack Palance-built maze.

But that doesn't mean the album is without misdirection. A gritty opener sets the tone, followed by "Ay-Yo," the Pete Rock-produced first single that slows it down and restores the party vibe. Then they immediately pick up the pace and remind you of their "Dangerous Emcees" status.

The next track does it all in one. Keith Murray joins the duo for a seemingly speedy "Errbody Scream" -- until the hook hits and it feels like the batteries are running out on the listening device of your choice.

"Hey Zulu" gives the franchise its first taste of auto-tune (it returns later in "I Know Sumptn") but thankfully it's not the top-billed stars providing the vocals, making it a tolerable addition rather than distraction.

"City Lights" featuring Bun B feels out of place, but in a good way. It's like jumping into the middle of a UGK album with Meth and Red as the guests, rather than the other way around.

"Father's Day," "Mrs. International" and "Dis Iz 4 All My Smokers" -- a sequel in its own right to the song we've already mentioned too many times in this review -- hold down the middle of this album like a pair of Spanx.

Oddly, a skit called "Lockdown" precedes a full-length track featuring Ghostface Killah and Raekwon called "Four Minutes to Lockdown." No matter, the album finishes strong with "Neva Herd Dis B4," the aforementioned "I Know Sumptn" and especially "A Lil Bit," with its constant scratching in the background.

All in all this might be the best Method Man and Redman have had to offer since "How High" (the single), even edging the first Blackout ever so slightly. Or maybe its just refreshing to hear such a strong offering 10 years later. Click here to find out how to buy this album.

May 07, 2009

Common posted this video used to promote De La Soul's first album, 3 Feet High and Rising, on his blog.

The video, which was posted on YouTube in 2006, includes the trio explaining the meaning behind their names, classic interviews with DMC, KRS-One and DJ Red Alert, as well as placards reminiscent of the "Me Myself & I" video. Toward the end, Big Daddy Kane says, "I think they're gonna be around for a while." Indeed.

Common simply posted "This is DOOOOOPE!" along with the video. Who are we to disagree? Make the connection:

May 06, 2009

Too Short, E-40 and MC Hammer have been hired as consultants for a 2010 film called "Weight," which tells the story of one of the Bay Area's youngest drug kingpins.

Executive producer Todd “Hollywood G.” Graham told AllHipHop that the veteran MCs were brought on board to increas the "authenticity of the project." All three were rising in popularity in the Bay Area and beyond at the same time as Darryl "Lil' D" Reed was taking charge of the Oakland drug scene. Reed took over in the late '80s and was allegedly making millions by 18, but ended up sentenced to 35 years in prison on federal drug charges, 20 of which he has now served.

May 05, 2009

Lil' Kim, who emerged as a favorite in many circles to win the latest edition of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," was voted off Tuesday night in what's being called a shocker by critics who follow the show.

The 411 Online must confess that although we have benefited from many Lil' Kim clicks (she is by far the most popular and most searched for artist on this site), we did not return the favor by watching the show, much less call in and vote for her. Sorry, Kim. You still made the most of your "one more chance" in the spotlight. Chances are you'll get more publicity for an early exit than a win.